CCJ Removal Form N244: Step-by-Step UK Court Guide to Set Aside a CCJ

What is CCJ Removal Form N244 and What Does Setting Aside Mean?

A County Court Judgment (CCJ) registered against your name is one of the single most damaging records that can appear on a UK credit file. Registered by the County Court when a claimant (such as a debt collector, lender, or parking operator) takes legal action, a CCJ is entered onto the public *Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines* and remains visible on Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion for six full years.

During those six years, an active CCJ causes automatic mortgage declines, disqualifies you from prime credit cards, and can even prevent you from passing employment vetting or renting a property.

However, having a County Court Judgment set aside means the court formally cancels the judgment as if it were never entered. Under the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), once a County Court judge grants a set-aside order, the court notifies the Registry Trust, which orders all three credit reference agencies to completely delete the CCJ from your credit record.

The Complete CCJ Set-Aside Court Pathway

graph TD
    A[Discover CCJ on Credit Report or Notice] --> B[Contact CNBC Northampton for Claim Details]
    B --> C{Check Reason for Default Judgment}
    C -->|Old Address / Defective Service| D[CPR 13.2 Mandatory Set-Aside]
    C -->|Valid Reason & Real Defence| E[CPR 13.3 Discretionary Set-Aside]
    D --> F[Contact Claimant for Consent Order Form N100]
    E --> F
    F -->|Claimant Consents| G[File Consent Order £119 Court Fee - No Hearing]
    F -->|Claimant Refuses| H[Complete Form N244 Application Notice £303 Fee]
    G --> I[Judge Signs Order in Chambers]
    H --> J[Attend 15-Min County Court Hearing]
    J --> I
    I --> K[Registry Trust & CRAs Delete CCJ Completely]

Legal Grounds to Get a CCJ Set Aside under CPR Part 13

Applications to cancel a default CCJ are governed strictly by Part 13 of the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR). There are two distinct legal routes:

1. Mandatory Set Aside (CPR 13.2) — Court MUST Cancel Judgment

Under CPR Part 13.2, the judge has no legal discretion; the court must set aside the default judgment if:

• The Claim Form Was Sent to an Outdated Address: The claimant mailed court proceedings to a previous residence where you no longer lived. Under CPR Part 6.8 and established High Court case law (*Hoddinott v Persimmon Homes*), claimants are required to take reasonable steps to verify the defendant's current address before issuing court proceedings. If they failed to check updated credit files or ignored address notifications, service is defective.
• The Debt Was Paid Before Proceedings Were Issued: You had already settled the balance before the claimant issued the claim form at Northampton CNBC.
• The Judgment Was Entered Prematurely: Default judgment was requested before your 14-day statutory period to acknowledge service or file a defence had expired.

2. Discretionary Set Aside (CPR 13.3) — Court MAY Cancel Judgment

If service was technically valid, a judge may still exercise discretion to set aside the CCJ under CPR Part 13.3 if you demonstrate three mandatory tests:

1. A Real Prospect of Successfully Defending the Claim: You have a viable legal defence to the debt. For instance, the debt is statute-barred under the *Limitation Act 1980*, the creditor breached the *Consumer Credit Act 1974*, or the balance includes unlawful inflated charges.

2. Prompt Action Upon Discovery: You applied promptly once you became aware of the CCJ (typically within 14 to 30 days of discovering the entry on your credit file).

3. A Good Reason for Default: You had a legitimate explanation for why you did not respond originally (such as serious illness, hospitalization, or postal disruption).

Completing CCJ Removal Form N244: Section-by-Section Instructions

Court Form N244 (Application Notice) is the official HM Courts & Tribunals Service document required to apply for a set-aside hearing. Follow this exact structure:

Step 1: Obtain Claim Details from CNBC Northampton

Call the Civil National Business Centre (CNBC) in Northampton (0300 123 1056). Provide your full name, date of birth, and previous addresses to obtain:

• The original Claim Number (e.g. `K1QZ2A4B`).
• The Claimant’s Name and retained Solicitors (e.g. Overdales, Mortimer Clarke, BW Legal).
• The Judgment Date and registered judgment amount.
• The exact service address where the claim form was mailed.

Step 2: Seek a Consent Order (Form N100) First

Before filing a contested Form N244, contact the claimant's litigation solicitors. If you agree to pay or settle the debt, many debt collection solicitors will agree to a Consent Order (Form N100) to set aside the judgment.

• A Consent Order costs £119 (compared to £303 for a contested hearing) and is approved by a judge in chambers without attending an in-person court hearing.

Step 3: Complete Court Form N244 Sections

If the claimant refuses consent, complete Form N244:

• Section 3 (What order are you asking the court to make?):

• Section 4 (Have you attached a draft order?): Tick "Yes" and attach a draft court order.
• Section 5 (How do you want this application dealt with?): Tick "At a hearing" (unless proceeding by mutual consent).
• Section 10 (What information will you rely on?): Tick "the witness statement below" or "attached witness statement".

Step 4: Attach Your Supporting Witness Statement & Proof

Your Witness Statement must be formatted in numbered paragraphs and conclude with a formal Statement of Truth. Attach documentary evidence:

• Council tax bills, tenancy agreements, or utility statements proving you lived elsewhere on the date the claim form was issued.
• A draft Defence demonstrating your real prospect of defending the debt.

Step 5: Pay Court Fee or Submit Form EX160 (Help with Fees)

The court fee for an application with a hearing is £303. However, if you are receiving Universal Credit, have limited capital, or are on a low income, you can apply for 100% fee remission using Form EX160 (Help with Fees), reducing your court fee to £0.

Who Issued Your CCJ? Captive Debt Collection Litigators

Over 85% of default CCJs are secured by automated bulk litigation law firms acting for secondary debt purchasers:

• Overdales Solicitors: Litigating exclusively for Lowell Portfolio I & II Ltd. 👉 Read Overdales Letter of Claim Guide
• Mortimer Clarke Solicitors: Litigating for Cabot Financial and Marlin Capital. 👉 Read Mortimer Clarke Claim Guide
• BW Legal Services: Litigating for PRA Group, Lowell, and payday lenders. 👉 Read BW Legal Court Claim Defence Guide

Frequently Asked Questions (Form N244 & Setting Aside a CCJ)

Get the Complete CCJ Set-Aside Word Toolkit

Stop struggling to draft complex court paperwork from scratch. The UK Credit Secrets System includes instant access to your private members area, interactive letter generator, and solicitor-audited Word templates:

• Pre-Formatted Court Form N244 Example: Exact phrasing for Section 3 and Section 10 applications.
• CPR 13.2 Witness Statement Template: Proven wording for defective service and old-address set-aside.
• Draft Consent Order (Form N100): Settlement order to cancel judgments without a court hearing.
• Form EX160 Fee Remission Guide: Step-by-step checklist to get court fees reduced to £0.